プエルト・ナタレス：トーレス・デル・パイネのプーマ追跡サファリ

With forecast moderate rain giving way to afternoon snow, I was given the chance to change to another date. Unfortunately, having only the one day available, I elected going ahead knowing that the chances of seeing Puma was limited. My guide Vicente from Al Sur Patagonia picked me up promptly at the agreed time of 6am. We arrived before dawn and at our very first stop were able to view two Lamas (and a fox and guanaco) through a high quality night vision scope linked to a tablet. The scope had the capability to record quality video. Eventually, the Puma’s moved on, so we continued to another spot where a male Puma was hunkered down on an island in a river. We watched him for several hours (I was given the option of moving to another location, but elected to stay) in the hope that the rising river would force him to swim ashore. Unfortunately, in the time we were there, that didn’t occur. Vicente did a great job throughout the day sharing his knowledge of the animals and the area in general. All his equipment was first rate. Water was provided along with an excellent meat and cheese platter to help keep us fueled. I throughly enjoyed the experience.

I walked away from this tour with a trove of memories of the pumas in Torres del Paine and the region around it. More than just seeing the pumas, which we did with roaring success, Fran and Kevin showed us the magic of tracking the pumas through spotting other animals, watching the behavior of guanacos (their main prey), and knowing the pumas' behaviors in different weather. I know now that while they cannot promise any sightings, they are extremely skilled at finding the beautiful animals. We saw a mother and cub, as well as a beautiful younger female. Kevin, the primary expert tracker, in contrast to some other guides we met, seemed keenly interested in respecting the pumas' space and allowing them to feed without getting frightened and crowded. The animals came first, and we still got to see them in full glory. 10/10 would recommend. Tip generously for their graduate-degree-in-biology level of knowledge about behavior and the ecosystem. Remember the exchange rate from euros and dollars is about a multiple of 1k. Don't be the American who tips 1,000 Chilean pesos thinking you're being generous.)